Dark Skies

My husband and I squabble about the light sensor behind our house, which we had installed as a security measure. He is of course completely right that it bothers the owls because although it only goes on when it senses something, the trees are overgrown and when it’s windy the bright lights go on every time a branch falls into the designated zone. So we have switched it off.

I have been painting nocturnes for a few years and I would love to return to the night sky as part of my above and below thinking. The Sarah Gillespie moths series also has me dying to get my wine soaked rope into the garden to attract moths to study and draw.

As part of my work as a Councillor we have been discussing the impact of shops on Marlborough high street keeping security lights on all night - whilst Nationwide may have a point about security we agreed that neither SpaceNK nor Specsavers can justify a 24 hour floodlight necessity. I am so pleased this was raised as an initiative and that the Council cares so much about protecting rural England. It’s small and back yard-y but all my work is about my back yard so I will take it.

https://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-care-about/nature-and-landscapes/dark-skies/

I am thinking about the glow worm works I have made and also the nocturnes and I feel as though there’s a circularity in the various aspects of my life coming together to pay attention to the night. At the same time I can’t walk the dog after 5pm any more as it’s just so disconcertingly dark around here even with a head torch and the dog’s light up collar you can’t see a metre in front of you. Strange feelings.